As part of NPR Music’s Black Music Month celebration, Tiny Desk is honoring the legacy of BET and the eras of Black music that helped shape our culture. R&B veteran Joe Thomas earned every chain and stripe on his body as he stepped behind the Tiny Desk. For every Usher, Ne-Yo, and Leon Thomas who has played in our office, fans of one of their archetypes wondered when he would get his shot. We saw the petitions and social media posts, but trust: We chased for years. Before the music started, the singer-songwriter and producer explained:

“Where have I been for the past few years? Well, I’ve been on the road touring. I’m here with you all today, and I wanna do a few songs throughout the catalog.”

And for the latest installment, they brought out one of the most consistent, smoothest, and most underrated voices in R&B: Joe Thomas.

For years, fans have been asking for this Tiny Desk moment. We’ve seen so many artists who were inspired by that classic, robust R&B sound step behind the desk, but Joe is one of the blueprints. So, this one felt overdue in the best way.

Joe opened the performance with that signature calm confidence, reminding everyone that he has been on the road, still booked, still singing, and still very much in his bag. Then he got straight to the catalog.

The set was a full-on reminder of just how many records Joe has given us. He ran through fan favorites including “Good Girls,” “Faded Pictures,” “More & More,” “The Love Scene,” “All the Things (Your Man Won’t Do),” and of course, “I Wanna Know.” TAKE A LOOK & LISTEN!